Brian Damage
02-06-2011, 05:34 PM
The Twin Cities lost the Lakers in 1960 and the North Stars in 1993 because of the lack of decent facilities being provided and because the political climate wasn't right for building those decent facilities. And we almost lost the Timberwolves in 1994, and the Twins were up for elimination in 2001.
The Lakers moved to Los Angeles, where they remain one of the NBA's showcase franchises. The North Stars won a Stanley Cup as the Dallas Stars in 1999. The Wolves remained at Target Center only because NBA Commissioner David Stern wouldn't allow the team to move to New Orleans, and a Hennepin County judge's injunction helped ensure the Twins would play the 2002 season.
Now it's pretty evident that with the Anschutz Entertainment Group having secured a $700 million naming deal from Farmers Insurance for the Los Angeles football stadium that AEG plans to build, there is greater danger than ever of losing the Vikings if a new stadium bill isn't passed by the current Legislature.
Yes, a new football stadium would be used only 10 days a year by the Vikings, but if it were a covered stadium it could be used more than 300 times a year for other uses and also be a candidate to play host to big events such as a Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four. And every time a Vikings home game is played, Minneapolis picks up $9.1 million spent by those attending.
The fact that some in Los Angeles are determined to build a new stadium and work hard to get two teams is no longer just a rumor.
Tim Leiweke, the CEO of AEG who was instrumental in getting Staples Center built in downtown L.A., is confident that his city will eventually get two NFL teams to move. And because AEG's new stadium won't be ready until 2015, he said that the teams could play immediately in either the Los Angeles Coliseum or the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Having lost the Lakers and North Stars and coming close to losing the Wolves and Twins, I believe that if a new stadium bill isn't passed in the Legislature this year, that the Wilf family, owners of the Vikings, will take advantage of the fact that their lease at the Metrodome runs out after the 2011 season and try to persuade Commissioner Roger Goodell and other NFL owners to allow them to be one of two teams that will eventually move to Southern California.
The collapse of the Metrodome roof following a December snowstorm also will put the Wilfs in a position to get a favorable vote to relocate, because without a new stadium the Wilfs are not assured that once the roof is repaired, the same problem won't come up again.
Furthermore, unlike the Pohlad family that owns the Twins and Glen Taylor, the Wolves owner and Mankato businessman, the Wilf family doesn't have any connection with this community. They won't have to worry about hurting their local businesses if they move the Vikings.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/115392789.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU0c7Ok:Pia_eyckciU
The Lakers moved to Los Angeles, where they remain one of the NBA's showcase franchises. The North Stars won a Stanley Cup as the Dallas Stars in 1999. The Wolves remained at Target Center only because NBA Commissioner David Stern wouldn't allow the team to move to New Orleans, and a Hennepin County judge's injunction helped ensure the Twins would play the 2002 season.
Now it's pretty evident that with the Anschutz Entertainment Group having secured a $700 million naming deal from Farmers Insurance for the Los Angeles football stadium that AEG plans to build, there is greater danger than ever of losing the Vikings if a new stadium bill isn't passed by the current Legislature.
Yes, a new football stadium would be used only 10 days a year by the Vikings, but if it were a covered stadium it could be used more than 300 times a year for other uses and also be a candidate to play host to big events such as a Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four. And every time a Vikings home game is played, Minneapolis picks up $9.1 million spent by those attending.
The fact that some in Los Angeles are determined to build a new stadium and work hard to get two teams is no longer just a rumor.
Tim Leiweke, the CEO of AEG who was instrumental in getting Staples Center built in downtown L.A., is confident that his city will eventually get two NFL teams to move. And because AEG's new stadium won't be ready until 2015, he said that the teams could play immediately in either the Los Angeles Coliseum or the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Having lost the Lakers and North Stars and coming close to losing the Wolves and Twins, I believe that if a new stadium bill isn't passed in the Legislature this year, that the Wilf family, owners of the Vikings, will take advantage of the fact that their lease at the Metrodome runs out after the 2011 season and try to persuade Commissioner Roger Goodell and other NFL owners to allow them to be one of two teams that will eventually move to Southern California.
The collapse of the Metrodome roof following a December snowstorm also will put the Wilfs in a position to get a favorable vote to relocate, because without a new stadium the Wilfs are not assured that once the roof is repaired, the same problem won't come up again.
Furthermore, unlike the Pohlad family that owns the Twins and Glen Taylor, the Wolves owner and Mankato businessman, the Wilf family doesn't have any connection with this community. They won't have to worry about hurting their local businesses if they move the Vikings.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/115392789.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU0c7Ok:Pia_eyckciU